Rear stock assembly for firearms



Aug 19 M. CARPENTER ETAL 2,292,351

REAR STOCK ASSEMBLY FOR FIREARMS INVENTORS MARVIN CARPENTER FRANK T. GREEN ATTORN EYS L A m R E T N E P R A C M BEAR STOCK ASSEMBLY FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR! MARVIN CARPENTER FRANK T. GREEN ATTORN EYQ 119- M. CARPENTER ETAL ,3

REAR STOCK ASSEMBLY FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS vm CARP! R "Krone:

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 11, 1942 REAR STOCK ASSEMBLY FOR FIREARMS Marvin Carpenter and Frank '1. Green, Chicopee Falls, Mass., asslgnors to Savage Arms Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporationof Delaware Application October 19, 1939, Serial No. 300,216

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a rear stock assembly for firearms.

The purposes of this invention are to provide a new and improved rear stock assembly for firedistortion known as cold flow when these devices are used with a molded gun stock or a material having this characteristic.

An improved means of reinforcing the relatively thin sections of the rear stock when used with a gun stock made from molded plastic material.

A new and improved means of retaining the coincident engagement of the butt plate and the immediately adjacent portion of a molded plastic gun stock.

A new and improved means of providing a rigid and firm support to the stock immediately adjacent to the rear portion of the frame.

Further purposes and advantages will appear from the specification hereinbelow.

Fig. 1 is a view mostly in longitudinal vertical section through the rear stock assembly for a firearm embodying one form of this invention, the forward part of the rear stock and a part of the frame member being seen in side elevation, the intermediate portion of the hollow part of the rear stock and the corresponding intermediate portion of the stock bolt being cut away in order to show the remaining part of the stock assembly on a larger scale.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, looking forwardly.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the main retaining plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3A is-a side elevation of said main retaining plate showing its original concave form before it is inserted in the rear stock and straightened out by the assembling of the parts in said rear stock by the tightening up of the stock bolt.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the second or supplementary retaining plate shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of a second form of rear stock assembly embodying this invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the main retaining plate that may, when desired, be used with the rear stock of Fig. 1 or Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the form of main retaining plate shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main retainin plate shown in Figs. 8 and 9, on line I0lll of Fig. 8, and the adjacent parts of the device. v

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly in vertical longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, showing a further modification of my invention.

Fig. 12 is a detail view on a considerably enlarged scale of a small portion of the rear end of the rear stock and of the cooperating adjacent part of the butt plate Fig. 1 but with the two parts separated in order to show the details of the mortise and tenon joint more plainly.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly in vertical longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, but on a somewhat reduced scale, of a still further modification of our invention. Fig. 14 is a detailed sectional view of the stock bolt retaining plate and immediately adjacent parts showing a slight variation from the construction shown in Fig. 13. Figs. 15 and 16 are longitudinal sectional views on a reduced scale of the junction portion of my structure showing two modifications.

Referrin to the drawings in a more particular description, and first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, it will be seen that this rear stock assembly for firearms consists of a frame member 20, a rear stock 2 l, a butt plate 22,

a stock bolt 23, a main retaining plate 24, a second or auxiliary plate 25, and butt plate screws 26.

The frame member 20 is of conventional form so that only the rear portion of the thick intermediate part 21 of the frame and the tang 28 which project rearwardly from the said intermediate portion, are shown. The intermediate portion is of the full width of the firearm and ordinarily has at its junction with the tang 28 rearwardly facing shoulders 29 adapted to abut against forwardly facing shoulders 30 provided on the forward ends of the bifurcated front portion of the rear stock 2|. The tang, as common to this general type of rear stock assembly, projects rearwardly into the vertically arranged longitudinally extending slot formed in the front end of the said stock to receive the said tang 28. The rear end 3| of the tang abuts against the forwardly facing portion 32 of the stock at the rear end of said large slot in the stock.

As has already been implied, the rear stock 2| is formed of molded plastic material of the proper composition and type to attain the strength, durability, and other characteristics required of the rear stock of a firearm of this type. In order not to have the said rear stock too heavy, the greater part of the rear enlarged portion thereof is made hollow, having relatively thin side walls extending all the way about this portion of the stock and providing a central main cavity 34. which extends from the substantially vertical face 35 to the open rear end 36 of the said rear stock. The walls, including not only the side walls proper but also the walls at the top and bottom of this main cavity 34 are of sufficient thickness to provide the required strength and rigidity for the rear stock, but pref erably all of these walls will increase slightly in thickness as the stock extends from the face 35 toward the open rear end 35 in order to give the greater strength toward the rear portion of the cavity where the stock is larger and so would otherwise be more susceptible to lateral compression. Slightly forward from the rear end of the stool; however, the walls of the stock have provided therein a rearwardly facing shoulder or ledge 3?, against which abuts the forward face of the main retaining plate 28. Conveniently this ledge all may be provided by reducing the thickness of the walls, both sides, top and bottom, for the proper distance in from the open rear end of the rear stock. Obviously other methods of providing such an encircling ledge 31 on the inside of the rear stock may be used. but the method mentioned cooperates well with the general method of making such a molded rear stock and. allows for the withdrawal of the necessary molding core from the main cavity 34. The reduced thickness of the walls rearwardly of the shoulder or ledge 31 still provides strength enough at this portion of the stock, especially in view of the outwardly facing reinforcement provided by the peripheral edge 24' of said main retaining plate in bearing intimately against the epgaged and opposite zone on the inner surfacofsaid walls opposite the retaining plate. This reduced thickness of the rearward band of the rear stock is allowable also in view of the intimate reinforcement of the rear edge of all the walls of the rear stock by the mortise and tenon construction provided by the said rear edge of the rear stock and the engaging forwardly facing outward zone of the butt stock 22, as hereinafter described more in detail.

In line with the axis of the stock bolt there is provided a round, longitudinally extending recess 38 in the otherwise solid body of the stock 2! immediately to the rear of the face 32 in said stock that engages the rearwardly directed face 3| at the rear end of the tang 28. In this recess 38 there is placed the locating lug 39, having about the rearward two-thirds of its length of enlarged diameter relative to its forward extension 39', with said enlarged portion closely fitting the recess 38. The said extension 39' of this locating lug is exteriorly screw-threaded to engage a screw-threaded longitudinally extending hole 40 provided in the vertically extending bridge portion M of the said frame member tang 28. Rearwardly from the recess 38 holding the locating lug 39 there extends a hole 42 into which-extends the forward portion of the stock bolt 23 to engage the rearward part of the said lug 89, preferably and conveniently by the forward end of said stock bolt being screw-threaded to engage the screwthreaded hole extending centrally from the rear end of said locating lug into said locating lug the proper distance. Commonly the stock bolt it? will not extend through the full extent of this hole provided in the rearward portion of the 10- cating lug 39, since the adjusting of the assembly and the tightening up of said stock bolt is accomplished by rotation of the stock bolt in said locating lug.

The main retaining plate 2 t is shown in vertical sectional view in Fi 1 and in rear elevation in Fig. 2 and separately by a plan view thereof in Fig. 3. This plate is preferably formed from a piece or plate of relatively stifi resilient material, as for example spring steel of the proper thickness and character to provide a resiliency that'will admit of springing the said plate from its original slightly concave form, as seen in vertical section in Fig. 3A, to substantially a straight line vertically so that not only will the forward face of said plate at its top and bottom engage said ledge 31 but all the intermediate parts of the forward face of said plate near its edges will do so also.

It is within the contemplation of our invention that a proper locating lug corresponding generally in size and construction to the lug 39 of Fig. 1 might be made as an integral part of the frame member 20, and projecting from the rearward part of the bridge 4| into the recess 38. Similarly it is within the scope of our invention as defined in several of the claims hereinafterto have the stock bolt 23 extend forwardly through the solid part of the rear stock 2| directly into a threaded hole in the said bridge portion of the tang as shown in Fig. 15 or even the equivalent construction of the stock bolt extending through said bridge portion and engaging a proper nut or other threaded member immediately forward of said bridge portion as shown in Fig. 16. In other words, our invention in this rear assembly or rear stock assembly is not limited to the precise mechanical details shown in Fig. 1 or any of the other drawings of this application, but such parts may be varied in form and mechanical detail and still get the advantages and accomplish the purposes of our invention and be within the scope of certain of the claims hereinafter set forth. The form of and construction of the 10- cating lug and its combination with the adjacent members as shown in Fig. 1, however, are thoroughly practicable and obtain a very strong, durable type of construction and one which lends itself readily to being made economically and assembled readily.

The main retaining plate 24, of which a plan view is shown in Fig. 3, is in general of oval or ellipse shape corresponding to the conventional shape of the rear end of the rear stock of this type of firearm, and corresponding closely to the interior size and shape of the cavity 34 of the said rear stock at the rear side of the shoulder or ledge 37. In face the peripheral edge 24' of said main retaining plate is intended to fit intimately against the engaged and opposite zone on the inner surface of the walls of said rear stock immediately rearward of the said shoulder 31, so as to form a very efficient means of reinforcing this portion of the hollow rear stock against any possible inward lateral compression of the stock.

Centrally of the width of said main retaining plate and at the proper point in its vertical height, more or less as indicated in Fig. 1, said plate is provided with a hole 43 for the passage through said retaining plate of the shank of the stock bolt 23. Preferably surrounding this hole and reaching out nearly to the peripheral side edges of the said plate, the plate is shaped to have a rearwardly extending and curved boss 44, which operates to stiffen this portion of the plate 22 against possible local forward distortion when the stock bolt is tightened. This boss further cooperates with the general action of the tightening up of the stock bolt, straightening out the slight vertical concave shape of the whole plate against the entirely vertical length of the shoulder 31.

The secondor auxiliary retaining plate 25 is provided and located as indicated in Fig. 1, directly to the rear of the'main retaining plate 24, in order to provide means for anchoring the forward ends of the butt plate screws 26 in a satisfactory manner and without interfering with the action of the main retaining plate 24. A convenient form of the supplementary retaining plate 25 is shown in the plan view thereof in Fig. 4, and its size relative to the main retaining plate is apparent from the rear elevation thereof shown in Fig. 2. At the proper point, namely opposite hole 43 in the main retaining plate, the secondary or supplementary retaining plate 25 is provided with a hole 45 for the passage therethrough of the shank of the stock bolt 23. Preferably and conveniently the said plate 25 is provided with a rearwardly extending boss 66, generally corresponding in contour, shape and size with the boss 64 on the the main plate 24 so that the second supplementary plate 25 may be placed immediately to the rear of the main retaining plate 22 and fit closely thereagainst by the forward face of said boss 46 fitting against the rearward face of the boss 45 on the main plate, and with these boss portions held in intimate and close contact by the forward face of the head of the stock bolt 23 engaging the rearward surface of the boss 46. Towards the upper and lower ends of the said supplementary plate 25 it is provided with proper screw-threaded holes to receive the screw-threaded ends of the butt plate screws 26. Preferably this supplementary plate 25, when originally made of proper resilient material, such for example as spring steel, is given a slightly concave form as to its forward face so that when the said butt plate screws 26 are set into place the said supplementary plate may yield a little without passing too greatly a vertical line and still exert a constant pull or tension upon the said butt plate screws, which operates to hold the said butt plate 22 firmly and permanently in position.

It will now be seen that when the parts of this rear stock assembly are properly assembled and the stock bolt 23 tightened up to the proper extent so that the main retaining plate 24 has been substantially straightened out so as to have its forward face adjacent its peripheral edge hearing all the way along the full height of the shoulder 31 on the inside of the rear stock, the said frame member 20 will be very intimately drawn towards the rear stock 2!, both as to the interengaging bearing faces or shoulders 30 on the forward end of the rear stock relative to the rearwardly directed faces 29 on the frame member, and as to the interengaging faces 3| and 32 of the frame member and rear stock respectively, and that the whole length of the molded plastic rear stock will be placed under a constant and .continuing internal stress, mostly of compression of the said rear stock and mostly of'tension or pull of the stock bolt, all operating to hold the parts of the assembly permanently and rigidly in place. It will be seen that the inherent resiliency of the retaining plate operating to the desired extent to tend to spring back to a conca e shape vertically of its length, will continue this compression upon the rear stock notwithstanding any slight displacement of the said rear stock, as by cold flow thereof, so that this rear stock assembly will be always and permanently retained in the necessary intimate contact of its parts.

It will be understood that immediately forward of the forward ends of the butt plate screws 26, the main retaining plate 24 will be provided with holes 48 a little larger than the front ends of said screws 26 so that in the assembling of'the parts and particularly of the butt plate 22, the forward ends of the said screws may project into these holes 48 the proper extent for the suitable tightening of said screws 26 without putting any forward pressure upon the said main plate 24.

The secondary plate 25, it will be understood, is of suflicient strength to allow of tightening up the butt plate screws 26 to the proper extent, and the resiliency of 'the said plate 25 is sufficient to keep the proper tension upon the said screws 26, it being understood of course that the head of the stock bolt securely holds the boss portion 46 of said secondary plate in proper position. The tension thus placed upon the butt plate screws 26 is distributed as compression through the butt plate 22 against the end of the entire rear zone of the rear stock so that the forward face of the butt plate 22 will always be held in intimate contact with the opposing rear face of the rear stock even though there be some displacement in the said rear stock as by cold flow thereof.

As already intimated, the joint between the forward face of the buttplate 22 adjacent its periphery and the rear edge of the rear stock 2! is of the mortise and tenon type. This is conveniently and preferably accomplished by having about the inner half of the rear edge of the rear stock project rearwardly for a small but appreciable extent beyond the outer half of the thickness of the rear stock so that a substantial but low tenon R9 is provided upon the whole circumference of the inner half of the wall of the rear stock while outside thereof there is provided a rearwardly facing ledge 56. The forward face of the butt plate 22, near but spaced from its periphery, is provided with a forwardly facing mortise 5!, adapted to closely receive the tenon 29 upon the rear stock. The forward face 52 on the butt plate outside the mortise 5| reaches forward to and closely engages the said ledge 50 upon the rear of the rear stock. The body of the butt plate to the inside of said mortise 5i is continued inwardly for a sufficient distance to form a strong rib 53, the outwardly facing surface 56 of which bears against the inward side of the tenon 59 on the rear stock and operates as a reinforcement of the rear edge portion of the rear stock to brace this rearmost part of the rear stock against any possible compression especially laterally thereof, that would tend to force this portion of the rear stock inwardly or outwardly. The resiliency of the supplementary plate 25 is sufficient notwithstanding any displacement, as by cold flow, of the material in the rear stock between the ledge 31 and the rear end of the rear stock to always keep the butt plate firmly and intimately in contact with the rear edge of the rear stock.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is illustrated another or non-resilient retaining plate The forward side of this retaining plate adjacent its periphery 57?, engages the rearwardly facing shoulder 55, provided on the inner surface of the walls at of the rear stock 58 made, as heretofore suggested, in hollow form of molded plastic material. The shoulder 58, as suggested in Fig. 5, is forward a short distance from the extreme rear end of the rear stock.

The forward end of the stock bolt 55 is operatively anchored to the frame member in any of the ways hereinbefore illustrated or described, or by any other method allowing an adjustable connection of the said stock bolt to its engaged member of the construction, such as for example by the screw-threaded forward end of the said stool: bolt engaging another cooperating screwthreaded part. The resiliency of this construction resides in the stock bolt 55 as by making an intermediate portion, as 55, of the shank of. said stock bolt with one or more curves or coils or other deviations from a straight line, which curves or coils or portion deviating from a straight line tends to be drawn out slightly nearer to a straight line when the stock bolt is tightened up upon assembling the par taof this construction, whereby the resiliency of said coils or otherwise curved portion of the shank of said stock bolt, places a constant pull or tension upon the stock bolt and so a constant strain upon and through the relatively rigid retaining plate 56 and so on to the Walls and whole body of the rear stock 60, and the resiliency of said stock bolt is such that even though the body or walls of the rear stock become somewhat displaced, as by a slight cold flow in said rear stock or even by a cold flow or other displacement in the frame member, there will be resiliency enough left in the structure to maintain a pull or tension in the stock bolt and so-there will be maintained in the frame member and against the rear stock sufficient tension or strain, as by compression, to at all times keep the parts of this assembly in close, intimate and effective contact.

It will be understood that the periphery Ell of the retaining plate 56 in this modification of the invention will preferably have a strong reinforcing action by directly and intimately engaging the zone on the inside of the wall of said rear I stock opposite the periphery and so slightly forward of the extreme rearward end of the rear stock. In this construction also the butt plate 6| will preferably have a mortise and tenon contact or joint with the extreme rear end of the rear stock, the details of which joint need not be repeated at this time further than to say that thereby the extreme rear end of the rear stock is actively reinforced by said butt plate.

In order to get the desired constantly acting strain between the butt plate and the rear end of the rear stock, resilient means will be used to constantly force said butt plate into engagement with said rear end of the rear stock. A convenient and the preferred form of such means for placing the rear stock under constant compression, even though there be a slight displacement of said rear stock or even of said butt plate, such as by cold flow in either or both the rear stock or butt plate, consists of resilient portions in the butt plate screws 62, which resilient portions will conveniently be the intermediate portion of each screw. This resilient portion is produced by giving such intermediate portion 33 a bend or curve or coil relative to the straight axis of the screw, which curved, bent or coiled intermediate portion will be straightened out slightly under the strain brought about by screwing up the butt plate screws 52 to the proper extent. The resiliency of the intermediate portion will manifest itself even after a long period to cause the said coil or bent portion to return somewhat towards its original more curved or bent position as allowed by slight displacement, as by shortening of the zone of the rear stock Gil between the shoulder 58 and the rear end of the rear stock or by distortion, as by caving inwardly somewhat of the butt plate 6i, and yet the said butt plate screws will continue to exert a drawing action upon the butt plate and so transmit a drawing action or strain to the butt plate and a compression strain to the said zone of the rear stock. It will be understood that in this construction the retaining plate 56 is relatively thick and of sufficiently rigid material to maintain its original shape and line not; only against the strain imparted thereto by the tightening up of the stock bolt 55 but also against the lesser strain transmitted to the opposite ends of said plate 56 by the butt plate screws 62, the forward ends of which are in adjustable, that is screw-threaded, engagement with that retaining plate 56.

A further modification of our invention, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, consists of making a relatively rigid, substantially inelasticretaining plate 64 out of relatively thin sheet metal or plate metal. This retaining plate 64 has provided integral therewith a rearwardly extending peripheral flange 65, the outer face 66 of which is shaped to intimately engage the opposing zone of the inner face of the wall of the rear stock in which it is placed immediately forward of the shoulder 61, as shown best in Fig. 10. The outer portion of the rearwardly turned flange is itself further reinforced by an outwardly extending flange 68 extending all the way about the said plate 64. The peripheral edge of this second flange 68 in turn may bear-against the zone of the inner face of the wall of the rear stock, that is immediately rearward of the shoulder 61, but as the material of this retaining plate is relatively thin We prefer to have the main bearing and reinforcing surface of this retaining plate be the outer surface 66 of the rearwardy extending flange 65, rather than the pe ripheral edge of the second flange 68. The stiffness in this form of retaining plate, it will be obvious, comes from the double flanged outer edge of the retaining plate, which stiffness is further strengthened by the said retaining plate of this form having a rearwardly extending boss 69 immediately surrounding the stock bolt orifice cation of our invention. In this modification the i frame member 72 may be substantially the same as frame member 2! of Fig. 1, except that frame member 12 is shown as having an integrally formed rearwardly extending locating lug I3 which projects into and fits closely within the recess It provided therefor in"the solid part of the rear stock I5 immediately to the rear of the rear end of the tang of saidframe member 12. This rear stock is formed in the main substantially as heretofore described as to other forms of our invention, in that it is formed of molded plastic material of the proper type and character and with said rear stock having a comparatively large cavity I6 in the large rearward portion of the stock. From the recess 14 there xtends rearwardly a longitudinally extending hole 11 through which extends the forward part of the stock bolt I8 into adjustable engagement with the frame member I2, preferably as by the forward end of said stock bolt 18 being screwthreaded to engage the internally screw-threaded hole I9 provided in the rearward portion of the said integral locating lug I3.

The said stock bolt extends for a suitable disstance, say about two inches, to the rear of the wall 80, marking the division between the solid part 8! of the rear stock and the cavity 16. Surrounding the shank of the stock bolt I8 and placed against the wall 89 is a strong rigid washer or annular plate 82 which serves at its rearward face to engage the forward end of a strong coiled spring 83 and to distribute the pressure of said spring over a considerable area of said wall 89 of the solid part of the rear stock. This coiled spring 83 is placed about the portion of the shank'of the stock bolt that extends rearwardly of said plate 82 and the rearward end of said spring bears against the forward face of the head 84 or what is the equivalent thereof against the forward face of a strong Washer 85, which may be placed on the shank of said stock bolt immediately forward of the said head of the stock bolt. This coiled spring 83 is of the contractile type of spring so that it may be placed under compression by reducing its effective length as by screwing up said stock bolt, so as to exert a pressure upon the-members operatively connected thereto, and yet with the spring of sumcient resiliency or elasticity so that it constantly tends to expand lengthwise and may so expand lengthwise again to compensate for any displacement in the said molded rear stock or even of the frame member or of the inter-engagement of said two parts.

In this form of our invention the butt plate 89 will also be used to reinforce the extreme rear end of the rear stock by the said butt plate and rear stock interengaging by a mortise and tenon joint most conveniently by forming the tenon 91 upon the rear edge of the rear stock and forming the cooperating mortise 88 upon the forward face of the butt plate 86 near the periphcry of said butt plate. In this form of the invention furthermore the butt plate may be secured by positive means to the rear end of the rear stock I5 as by butt plate screws 89 extending through the butt plate into an internally threaded brass insert 9|] imbedded in the material of the molded rear stock I5, when it is molded. Said inserts are located in the rear end of the rear'stock respectively near its upper and lower portions, where the walls may be locally left thicker for receiving and inclosing such inserts 99.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13 the hollow molded rear stock 9| has the rearwardly facing wall 92 at the forward end of the cavity 93 engaged by the forward face of a flat retaining plat 94 and through the centrally disposed aperture of this plate extends the shank of the stock bolt 95, with the forward end of said bolt adjustably engaging, as by screw-threading, the rearward portion of the locating lug 9'5 fitting within the forward part of the hole 91 longitudinally extending through the solid part of the rear stock 9|, said locating lug in turn having its forward end securely and adjustably engaging the rearward portion of the frame member 98.. Interposed between the forward face of the head of the said stock bolt and the rearward side of the retaining plate 94 there is a compression spring 99 coiled about the shank of said bolt. This spring is'compressed suificiently by proper tightening up of the said stock bolt when the parts are assembled so as to place the desired constant pull upon the frame member against the rear stock in an obvious manner,

and securing the advantages heretofore mentioned in other forms of the invention and particularly as to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 11. In this construction of Fig.'13 however the butt plate I 00 is constantly and resiliently drawn snugly towards the rearward edge of the hollow rear end of the rear stock 9I by means of two butt plate rods IIII which have theirforward ends suitably non-rotatably secured to the retaining plate 94 at points spaced preferably above and below the stock bolt 95 and with said rods having their intermediate portions provided with a resilient section I02, such as by the rods in said sections being given a coiled, bent or curved formation which is partly straightened out when the butt plate is assembled upon the other parts and so operates to exert the required constant resilient pull of the said rods upon the butt plate so that any cold flow or other displacement, such as contraction in the whole length of the hollow part of the rear stock is compensated for by said resilient sections of the said rods resuming slightly a more curved or bent formation and'so retaining the butt plate still snugly upon the rear of the rear stock. Preferably the rear ends of the said rods HJI are adjustably connected to the said butt plate as for example by the screw-threaded rear ends of said rods engaging the interior threads upon the butt plate nuts I03, said nuts havin their rearward portions enlarged and of conical formation so as to fit in countersunk manner within the holes in said butt plates, the rearward portion of which holes are slanted outwardly to be larger, to fit the conical shaped rear ends of said nuts I03. Preferably the attachment of the said ends of the rods I92 to the retaining plate 94 is made in a practically permanent manner so that said rods II will not rotate relative to the said plate when the butt plate nuts I03 are being tightened or loosened during assembling of the rear end construction or the taking apart of the same.

The construction shown in Fig. 14 is in the main the same as shown in Fig. 13 but instead of the compression spring 99, there is employed a resilient retaining plate I94 operating like the main retaining plate 24 of Fig. 1 so' as to place the desired constant and resilient pull rearwardly upon the stock bolt I95 by reason of the tightening up of the head of said stock bolt against the back side of the rearwardly projecting boss I06. It will be understood that the retaining plate I04 is originally of concave form, most conveniently like the main retaining plate 24 of the construction as shown in Fig. l andhaving the concave form more or less as shown in Fig. 3A, that is with the upper and lower parts of the retaining plate bent or curved forwardly relative to the central portion of the retaining plate and with said retaining plate of proper resilient material so that the tightening up of said stock bolt 905 operates, to spring the said retaining plate into practically a plane surface so as to engage throughout its periphery as well as at its top and bottom the flat face Hill at the forward end of the cavity of this rear stock I68. As shown in Fig. 14 theforward end of the butt plate rods I09 of this construction are practically permanently and non-rotatably secured to the upper and lower portions of the retaining plate E04 by any conventional construction as by the forward ends being shaped to have an enlarged collar forming a shoulder and forward thereof a portion angular in cross section which fits into a correspondingly sh'aped hole in the plate with the forward extremity of the rod riveted over against the front face of the plate and these butt plate rods I09 will have intermediate their lengths resilient sections the equivalent of the resilient sections H02 already illustrated in Fig. 13 and so operating to exert a constant resilient draw upon the butt plate (not shown) of this construction.

It will now be seen that the resilient plate 04 of this construction of Fig. 1 places a constant and resilient draw upon the stock bolt I05 and that the resilient plate lot by springing out to a somewhat more curved position relative to the face Hi! will still exert a strain upon the solid part of the stock Hi8 and so retain the said stock at all times snugly against the frame member (not shown) of this construction. Similarly it will be obvious that the butt plate rods 809 with their resilient intermediate sections above mentioned will similarly place a constant stress upon the whole length of the stock and particularly upon the whole length of the hollow part of the stock so that the said butt plate will be still tightly and snugly drawn to the rear end of the'stock even though the hollow portion of the stock should be decreased somewhat in length by cold flow thereof, such decrease in length being compensated for by the resilient portions of the rods Hi9 assuming a slightly more bent or curved formation as already explained herein as to similar members,

live claim:

l. in a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and opening at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a headed stock bolt, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stool: and secured at'its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stock-bolt, a stock-bolt retaining plate inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and near its periphery bearing against said rearwardly-facing shoulder of the stock said headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said connecting means and having its head engaging the rear side of said retaining plate, a butt plate in non-rotating engagement with the rear end of said rear stock and butt plate screws with their shank portions projecting forwardly into operative engagement with said stock-bolt retaining plate.

2. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and opening at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a headed stock bolt, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stock and secured at its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stock-bolt, a stockbolt retaining plate inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and near its periphery bearing against said rearwardly-facing shoulder of the stock said headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said connecting means and having its head engaging the rear side of said retaining plate, a butt plate in non-rotating engagement with the rear end of said rear stock and butt plate screws with their shank portions projecting forwardly into operative engagement with said stock-bolt retaining plate, the intermediate portions of said butt plate screws being resilient in a longitudinal direction.

3. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and opening at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a headed stock bolt, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stock and secured at its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stock-bolt, a stockbolt retaining plate of resilient material inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and when placed under stress by assembling having its forward face assume a shape coincident with the shape of said shoulder and engaging the same, said headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said connecting means and having its head engaging the rear side of an intermediate portion of said retaining plate, whereby tightening said stock-bolt places said retaining plate under tension and thereby said bolt exerts a constant pull upon said frame member counterbalancing any cold flow of thestock between the stock seat and its said shoulder, a butt plate in engagement with the rear end of the rear stock, a second retaining plate interposed between the head of the stock-bolt and said stock-bolt retaining plate and extending above and below said bolt, and butt plate screws reaching from said butt plate to operatively engage said second plate.

4-. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and open at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a headed stock bolt, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stock and secured at its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stock-bolt, a stock-bolt retaining plate of resilient material inserted in he cavity at the rear part of the stock and when placed under stress by assembling having its forward face assume a shape coincident with the shape of said shoulder and engaging the same, said headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said connecting means and having its head engaging the rear side of an intermediate portion of said retaining plate, whereby tightening said stock-bolt places said retaining plate under tension and thereby said bolt exerts a constant pull upon said frame member counterbalancing any cold flow of the stock between the stock seat and its said shoulder, a butt plate in engagement with the rear end of the rear stock, a

second retaining plate interposed between the head of the stock-bolt and said stock-bolt retaining plate and having screw-threaded holes vertically spaced from said bolt, and butt plate screws reaching from said butt plate to said spaced threaded holes in said second plate, said butt plate screws having their intermediate portions resilient longitudinally.

5. The combination of a rear stock of molded plastic material having its enlarged rearward portion hollow with relatively thin walls, a stock bolt retaining plate secured within the rear stock forward of its rear end and reenforcing said stock against inward movement, the rearward end of said walls having at its inward part a rearwardly extending tenon while the outer part of said end forms a forwardly located rearwardly facing shoulder, a butt plate having in its forward face and spaced inwardly from its periphery a mortise receiving said tenon of the rear stock, and means for fastening said butt plate to the rear stock, including screws reaching forward towards said retaining plate.

6. In a fireram, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material secured to the rear of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and open at its .rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a stock-bolt retaining plate inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and near its periphery having its forward face bearing against said rearwardly facing shoulder and having its peripheral portion engaging the adjacent inner wall of said stock and reenforcing it against inward strain.

7. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a; rear stock formed of molded plastic material secured to the rear of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and open at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from the rear end of said stock, a stock-bolt retaining plate inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and near its periphery haying its forward face hearing against said rearwardly facing shoulder and having its peripheral portion engaging the adjacent inner wall of said stock and reenforcing it against inward strain, and a stock bolt having its rear end operatively engaging the rear face of I said retaining plate and its forward end operatively connected to said frame member.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and open at its rear end and provided with an inwardly extending, rearwardly facing shoulder spaced forwardly from its rear end, the intermediate portion of the rear stock being provided with a longitudinally extending hole therethrough, a locating lug positioned in said hole and having its forward end in engagement with the rear end of said frame member, a resilient stock-bolt retaining plate inserted in the cavity at the rear part of the stock and near its periphery bearing against said rearwardly-facing shoulder of the stock and a headed stock-bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said locating lug and having its head engaging the rear part of said retaining plate, whereby tightening said stock bolt places said resilient retaining plate under stress and thereby said bolt exerts a constant pull upon said frame member even inthe event of any displacement resulting from a cold flow of the material in the stock.

9. In afirearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly-facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion hollow and open at its rear end, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stock and secured at its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stock-bolt, and a headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with-the rear end of said connecting means and a compression spring operatively interposed between the head of said stock bolt and a rearwardly facing part of the rear stock whereby tightening said stock bolt places said compression spring under stress and thereby said stock bolt exerts a constant pull upon said frame member even in the event of any displacement resulting from a cold flow of the material in the stock.

10. In a firearm, the combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly facing stock seat engaged by a rearward part of said frame, said stock having its enlarged rearward portion provided with a rearwardly opening chamber, connecting means located in a longitudinally extending hole in the intermediate portion of the rear stock and secured at its forward end to the rear portion of the frame and having a part at its rear end adapted to cooperate with the stockbolt, a pressure-distribution plate bearing against the rearwardly facing surface of the rear stock at the forward end of the said chamber, and a headed stock bolt having its forward end in adjustable engagement with the rear end of said connecting means, a compression spring operatively interposed between the head of said stock bolt and said pressure distribution plate whereby tightening said stock boltplaces said compression spring under stress, a butt plate closing the rear of said stock chamber and resilient butt plate rods adjustably connecting the butt plate to said pressure-distribution plate.

11. In a firearm combination of a frame member, a rear stock formed of molded plastic material and having a forwardly facing stock seat engaged by a rearward. part of said frame, said engagement with the rear end of said connecting means and resilient means operatively connected to said stock, stock bolt and plate assembly and placing a tension on said stock bolt by tightening the stock bolt, a butt plate closing the rear of said stock chamber and resilient butt plate rods adjustably connecting the butt plate to said pressure-distribution plate.

MARVIN CARPENTER. FRANK T. GREEN. 

